Rumor is that realignment doesn't happen until after the 2013/2014 season. I hoped it would be sooner so that I could cheer for the 'Canes with a clear conscience. I've always liked their team even when the Thrashers were here. I'd like to pull for them as my number two, especially now with the Checkers moving up to the AHlL (they're only 4 hours away). Couple more years I guess.

Why the wait for another season and a half until realignment? Seems pretty weird that southern Manitoba and southern Florida will continue to be divisional rivals.

The wait is because the players voted down realignment last year. Now the league
will have the chance in the off season to change it and the players won't have it
as a bargaining tool just like the league had the Olympics and World Cup as a
bargaining tool.

Oddly, it could be Bombers' last chance for an Eastern Conference title as well, at least until Ottawa folds again!

As a Torontonian, I hope the Jets stay with teams in the EST or CST, since I can't wait up if they're on the road in California and Vancouver half the time. Also, the national media attention that is generated for the city will be much greater if Winnipeg is visiting New York, Washington and Toronto multiple times per year rather than just occasionally.

Was just talking about this with some folks at work. Do you think it will be tough to play a condensed 48 game schedule in the SE again?

Given the Jets road woes and troubles with back-to-backs last season it doesn't really bode well. But maybe they learn something from it this year and can carry some progress into next season. Certainly they are at a disadvantage compared to many teams in the East that can be back home an hour or two after the game.

I also thought it said in the CBA that no realignment for this shortened season or next? So two more seasons, one partial, one full, before realignment? Tough from a playing standpoint but to me as a fan, I love a couple more years of the Eastern teams.

Given the Jets road woes and troubles with back-to-backs last season it doesn't really bode well. But maybe they learn something from it this year and can carry some progress into next season. Certainly they are at a disadvantage compared to many teams in the East that can be back home an hour or two after the game.

I also thought it said in the CBA that no realignment for this shortened season or next? So two more seasons, one partial, one full, before realignment? Tough from a playing standpoint but to me as a fan, I love a couple more years of the Eastern teams.

Yeah, well I guess you can't really complain too much since it must be nice to at least have a team back (and hockey in general). Was just thinking about how much it must have sucked last year and now how much worse it will be in a shortened season for the players.
oh well, guess there isn't really much that can be done about it at this point.

-the PA never said "No". They said "we can't consent yet - we need more information".

-I think they gave a couple of reasons why they were concerned, but one of them was "competitive balance", since there were two conferences of 7 teams, and two of 8 teams, but only 4 teams made it into the playoffs.